If you are thinking of hiring a security guard company, price is an important consideration but it shouldn’t come at the cost of quality. If you choose a lower priced option, you may be hiring a company that has captured market share by lowering wages. Unfortunately, lower wages often means they may provide you with lower quality, and less well-trained, personnel.

In order to evaluate your options equitably, it’s important to consider all the relevant factors. One way to do that is to specify a fair wage rate; sources like your local Department of Labor statistics or industry trade associations can help or you can use a wage marker (sample wage). Specifying the wages allows you to compare bids in an apples-to-apples fashion. Once the wage rates are equalized, you can clearly see where the rest of your money is going.

A company with a lower initial bid may actually turn out to be a more expensive option if they have lowered their bid by lowering the amount they spend on wages and training. A wage-leveled comparison will show you how much of what you might pay will go to well-trained security personnel and how much to company overhead. A well-run, more efficient company offers a better value in the long run. Specifying the wages will also set the bar for the type of experience and skill you expect to get for your investment.

Labor costs represent the most significant portion of the bid; by leveling them, you can better assess how much value and quality you can expect from each bid and have a more informed basis on which to compare them. Research the available options, ask informed questions, level the wages, and consider the value you expect and need in order to make an informed buying decision. When you are ready for a quote, contact us.